Tape cutting machine



Dec. 3, 1940. B. c. WALTER TAPE CUTTING MACHINE 7 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 15, 1939 W fi a m C i; N) V m m m wllm MN NM N m Q AWN A II \N w m n m \NM V 3 .wlml MW,

wn M g Dec. 3, 1940. B. c. WALTER TAPE CUTTING MACHINE Filed April 13, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3mm 5. Lil Mal Zer Patented Dec. 3, 19.40

UNITED STAT ES PATENT O FFICE TAPE CUTTING MACHINE Benjaminfl; Walter, Blairsville; Pa. ApplicationrApril 13, 193,9;JSeriaLN'o, 267,728

. 3. Claims.

This invention relates to av tape; cutting'machine, and a particular object of the invention is to provide a machine of thi's kind' especially-designed and adapted for. use in cutting adhesive tape to a desired width as may be required in making what is commonly known: as masking tape used largely in the automotive paintin industry. l

In the painting of automobiles it is now a general custom to use adhesive tape to mask off surfaces such as chromium plated parts, etc; which are not intended to be painted. Owing to the vast difference in the trim of automobiles it isanot now possible to purchase tape to exactly meet the various requirements. It is an object of the present invention to provide means whereby a standard width of tape may be readily cut to produce a tape of a width to properly meet a particular requirement.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrange ment of the several parts of my improved-tape cuttingmachine whereby certain important advantages are attained and the device rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient and advantageous for use;- as will'be hereinafter more fully setforth.

The novel features of my invention will hereinafter be definitely" claimed;

In order that my invention may" be thebetter understood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in top plan of a tape cutting machine constructed in accordance with an embodiment of my invention;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a detailed sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional-view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a sectional View taken: substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 1a;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary elevational view illustrating one of the supporting bearings. as herein embodied; i i U Figure '7 is a fragmentary'elevational view-lof theupper central portion'of one cfthelsi'de walls of the case or body member.

It is preferred wherever possible thatthe different parts of my improved machine be formed from sheet metal but, of course,.I donotwish to be understood as limiting myself in this :respect. Y

supports for a transversely disposed plate 4 resting from above upon the edges band having end flanges 5'overlying the-side faces of the side walls 2 and anchored thereto by the stud bolts 6 or otherwise as maybepreferred.

Welded or otherwise securely anchored to one end portion of theplate 4 is a transversely disposed strip 1. This strip 1 is relatively narrow and has its inner edge 0 straight from end to end and disposed parallel to the longitudinal axis of the case or body member C whereby said straight edge e constitutes a guiding shoulder for the tape T as will hereinafter bemore particularly referred to. I

Thel'ongitudinal marginal portions of the plate 4 between the side walls 2 are provided with the downwardly and outwardly inclined flanges 8. At substantially its transverse center the plate 4 is provided therealong with a slot 9 leading from the edge or shoulder c of the strip I to a point beyond the center line between theside plates 2. The upper face ofthe plate 4 immediately ad.- jacent to and along the side of the slot 9 is provided with the linear graduations whereby may be readily determined the desired spacing of the cutting blade H with respect to the edge or shouldenc for reasons to be hereinafter pointed out.

Resting upon the end portion of the plate 4 remote from the strip! is a guide plate 12. The in nor end edge d. of this plate I2 is parallel to the edge or shoulder c and constitutes a second guiding shoulder for coaction with the tape T. This plate I2 is intended to be. selectively adjusted in a direction lengthwise of the plate 4 as may be re,-. quired'. plate 12 is provided therealong. with the spaced parallelislots [4 thru' which. freely pass fromabove the clamping screws 15 each of which threads through theplate 4. These screws l5 coact-with the side edges of the slots I 4 to assure the maintenance of the edge orshoulder at at all times in 'parallel relation with the edge or shoul derqcof the-strip I. These screws l5 further provide means for holding the plate l2 in desired selectivetadjustment with respect. to the strip 1'.

The outer marginal portion of the plate I 2 is provided with a transversely disposed flange I6 to facilitate the adjusting of the plate l2.

Depending from the plate 4 is an elongated housing H substantially U-shaped in cross section and which has the upper marginal portions of its side members I! defined by the outstanding flanges X welded or otherwise securely attached to the plate 4. This housing H is disposed lengthwise of the plate 4 and has its side members or walls I! at opposite sides of the slot 9 and materially spaced therefrom as is clearly illustrated in Figure of the accompanying draw-* ings.

one end of the housing H has close contact with the side wall 2 of the case or body member remote from the strip 1 with the opposite end of the housing H terminating at a point beyond the longitudinal center of the slot 9.

snugly and slidably mounted within the housing H is a hollow block B having its top wall 18 provided with a slot 20 for register with the slot 9.- snugly fitting within the box B are the plates 2| of desired thickness and which are tightly held against the outer or front wall 22 of the block B by the shank 23 threading through the rear wall 24 of the block B and having required contact with the outermost plate 2|.

One of these plates 2| is provided in a face thereof with a suitably arranged recess in which fits the shank end portion of the cutting blade H. This recess is so arranged as to assure the cutting edge of the blade ll being disposed as desired. By using a plurality of plates 2! as may be required an initial selective positioning of the cutting blade, ll may be obtained although it is to be stated that under certain conditions it may be preferred to clamp the plate 2| carrying the blade ll directly against the outer end wall 22 of the block B. p

The central portions of the plates '2I are provided with the openings 25 through which freely passes the elongated adjusting shank 26 which threads through the end wall 22 of the block.

The rear wall 24 of the block B only partially closes the rear end of the block and is positioned entirely to one side of the shank 26 so' that said end wall 24 will offer no hindrance or obstruction tothe desired adjustment of the block B within the housing H. The opening 21 at the rear of the block B is sufficient to allow the application or removal of the plates 2 I. V I

' Extending outwardly from the forward end of the housing H is a substantially U-shaped bracket A, the side arms 28 of which overlap the forward end portions of the side members or walls I! of the housing H and welded or otherwise securely fastened thereto. The shank 26 is freely directed through the intermediate or base member 29 of this bracket A and said shank 26 at opposite sides of the member 29 and closely adjacent thereto is provided with the surround ing flanges 30 whereby the shank 26 is held by the bracket A against endwise movement yet is free for rotation in either direction. By proper turning of the shank 26 the block B will be adjusted to a desired selective position within the housing H to bringthe cutting blade II into proper spaced relation with respect to the. shoulder 0 in accordance with the proper width of tape to be cut. The shank 26 is of 'a'length to have its outer end portion extend at all times 'exteriorly of the caseor body member 0 and for which reason the" side wall '2 of the'l'c'a'se or body member 0 adjacent to said outer end of the shank 26 is provided with an open recess 3| to receive an outer portion of the shank 26. The outer end portion of the shank 26 carries a knurled head 32 or the like to facilitate the desired rotation of the shank 26.

The side walls 2 of the case or body member C fore and aft of the plate 4 are provided with the bearing members 33 which may be welded or otherwise fixedly held in desired position upon the inner or opposed faces of the side walls 2. Each of these bearing members 33, as herein disclosed, is substantially in the form of a horseshoe with its open portion upwardly directed so that the extremities of a sleeve 34 of a tape roller may be readily dropped within a pair of transversely "aligned bearing members 33 and be rotata'b-ly supported thereby. The sleeve 34 is disposed axially through the cylindrical core or roller 35 upon which a standard width of tape T is; initiallyv placed or upon which is woundtheztape .T after being cut. The members or cores 35 are ea-ch'of such radius and the bearing members 33 are so positioned'upon the opposed faces of the side walls 2 to assure the lower portion of the member or core 35 being positioned below the plate 4.

' Each of the sleeves 34 has its bore intersected by a transversely disposed pin 36 carried by the sleeve and when a sleeve 34 is operatively engaged with a pair of bearing members 33 each end of the-sleeve 34 registers with an opening 31- provided in a side wall 2. This opening 31 permits the ready insertion of a shaft through an opening 31 into the sleeve 34. The inserting end of the shaft, as herein disclosed, isbifurcated to. provide a kerf to receive the pin 36 whereby the sleeve 34 and the shaft 'arekeyed for unitary rotation. As herein disclosed, one end portion of the shaft carries acrank 38 to provide means for rotating the-shaft and the member or core 35 mounted thereon. It is to be understood, however, that other means, such as a knurled head 39, may crank 38. v r Q In p-ractice, a standard'spool of tape is operatively engaged with the bearing members 33 in advance of the plate 4 and the plate i2 is adjusted to space the guiding edge d of the plate I2 from the guiding edge-c of the strip 1 in accordance with the initial width of the tape T so that as the tape T is drawn over the plate 4 it will move in a fixed path of travel. Before the tape T is disposed over the plate 4 the cutting blade ll is adjusted into desired selective-position. The tape T after being disposed over the plate 4 is engaged with a cylindrical member or spool 35 rotatably engaged with the bearing members 33 aft of the plate 4. As this second member or spool 35'is properly rotated the tape T will be drawn across the plate 4 and the outbe employed in lieu of a ting blade ll caused. to out "such tape into a desired width. It is to be noted that thebearing 'members 33 are so positioned as to assure the fax the principles and spirit thereof and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. A tape cutting machine comprising a suitably supported plate provided with aslot, means for drawing tape across the plate in a direction at right angles to the slot, a housing depending from the plate, a hollow block slidably engaged within the housing, a wall of said block having a slot registering with the slot in the plate, plates removably insertible within the block, a cutting blade extending out through the registering slots of the block and plate, means for clamping the end portion of the blade between adjacent plates within the block, and means for moving the block in either direction within the housing to bring the blade to a selected position along the slot of the plate.

2. A tape cutting machine comprising a suitably supported plate provided with a slot, means for drawing tape across the plate in a direction at right angles to the slot, a housing depending from the plate, a hollow block slidably engaged within the housing, a wall of said block having a slot registering with the slot in the plate, plates removably insertible within the block, a cutting blade extending out through the registering slots of the block and plate, a member threadin through a wall of the hollow block for contact with an end plate for forcing all of the plates toward a second wall of the hollow block to provide means for clamping the end portion of the blade between adjacent plates within the block, and means for moving the block in either direction within the housing to bring the blade to a selective position along the slot of the plate.

3. A tape cutting machine comprising a suitably supported plate provided with a slot, means for drawing tape across the plate in a direction at right angles to the slot, a hollow block, means for slidably supporting the hollow block by and below the plate, a wall of said block having a slot registering with the slot in the plate, plates removably insertible within the block, a cutting blade extending out through the registering slots of the block and plate, a member adjustable through a wall of the hollow block for contact with an end plate for forcing all of the plates toward a second wall of the hollow block to provide means for clamping the end portion of the blade between adjacent plates within the block, and means for moving the block to selective positions along the slot of the plate.

BENJAMIN C. WALTER. 

